Channel 5 Show Information

Hosted by Jim Britt (1958-1967) and Don Gillis (1967-1996)

The granddaddy of all candlepin broadcast shows. When WHDH lost their broadcast license, the show simply moved to the new channel 5, WCVB.
Originally taped at the Boylston Bowladrome, near Fenway Park, then at Sammy White's Brighton Bowl in Boston, the show moved to the Fairway
Lanes in Natick (where Candlepin Doubles was already taping) when Sammy White's closed down in 1985. Citing low ratings and a lessened
interest in bowling, WCVB cancelled this show in 1996. Candlepin Doubles left the airwaves in 1993. During the 1970s and 1980s, this program
was also locally syndicated to WGGB-TV (nee WHYN) Channel 40 in Springfield, MA and WPRI-TV Channel 12 in Providence, RI.

Interesting facts about the Channel 5 Show:

Began on October 4, 1958, ended on January 27, 1996

Prize Structure (at the end of the show's run): Winners took home $700, losers received $350. Winner of each string got $50. There was a $100
bonus for reaching 400 or breaking a show record. Bonus money: $50 for 3 marks in a row and each consecutive mark after that was another $50,
$1,000 for a triple strike and each consecutive strike after that was another $1,000.

Most Appearances (Men)- Tom Olszta=92
Most Appearances (Ladies)- Stasia Czernicki=52
Men's High Single: Ed Czernicki, 197 (1979)
Ladies High Single: Janet Poch, 165 (1991)
High Triple: Paul Berger, 500 (1992)
Ladies High Triple: Janet Poch, 422

6 Men rolled 4 strikes in a row on the program: George Raymond (1982), Jim Barber (1983), Dick O'Connell (1989), Jeff Atkins (1992), Tom Olszta (1993), Jack Saniuk (1995).

3 Men had a string where they marked in all 10 boxes: Rosario Lechiara in a 177 string (November 27, 1967...vs. Jim Drysdale), Ed Czernicki in a 197 string in (1979), Jack Ray in a 184
string in (1995). Ed Czernicki had a strike-spare combination in the 10th frameof his 197 string, making him the only bowler to roll 11 marks in a string on Channel 5.

Most Wins in a Row, Men: 22, Tom Olszta in 1993 - 1994
Most Wins in a Row, Women: 18, Stasia Czernicki (1973)

Most Wins and Appearances: Tom Olszta had an overall record of 69 - 18 on the regular show and also made 11 appearances on the Championship Show, winning 4 of them.

The lowest string ever rolled on the show by a man was a 77, but Don Gillis wouldn't say who did it to spare the person some embarrassment.
The largest high/low jackpot ever won was by Sharon Rawson for $3,400 (1993). The high/low jackpot was a feature at the end of the show where bowlers shot at the 1-7-10 (with
no wood). Each bowler got one ball. If a bowler made the shot, he or she got the money in the prize fund. The fund accumulated each week.
The largest combined 3-string total score was 883. Dick O'Connell defeated Gary Carrington 468 - 415 (1987).
The largest combined single string score was 348. Gary Casey and Peter Surette each rolled 174 in the 3rd string of a match in 1991. Peter Surette rolled a triple strike and Gary Casey
had a double strike 9 in that string.
The largest losing score on the program was 425. Joe Tavernese lost to Dan Lasko 426 - 425 in 1987 and Brian McKinley lost to Jeff Atkins 440 - 425 in 1992.